When installing a vertical post, such as a fence post, it is common to support the post in the ground by one of: (1) burying one end of the post in a hole dug in the ground; (2) filling the area around the base of the post with concrete; or (3) securing the post to a ground spike post support that, in turn, is secured into the ground.
Burying one end of the post in the ground is often unsatisfactory for various reasons, including that digging out a suitable hole and burying the post may be difficult and the ground may not provide suitable support. This may result in a wobbly post that is not well suited for anchoring a fence or the like.
Filling the area around the base of the post with concrete has its own limitations. This requires digging suitable holes around each post, acquiring sufficient concrete to set each post, mixing concrete, pouring concrete into holes around each post, and ensuring that the post is held straight while the concrete sets.
Securing posts to post support means, such as metal ground spikes, is a relatively easy and cost efficient alternative for securing a post to the ground.
Metal ground spikes of varying shapes have been used to secure posts to the ground. U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,646 to Mills discloses a prior art metal post support (2) having a ground engaging blade portion (4) and a post supporting hollow box portion (6) as shown in FIG. 1. Mills discloses four blades (8) disposed in a cross-shaped cross-section, meeting at a central joint (10). Each of the four blades (8) is welded to a flat plate (16), which in turn is welded onto the sides (12) of the hollow box portion (6). The Mills post support is made of mild steel plate of one-eight inch thickness (3.2 mm). To allow drainage of water entering the box-section, drain holes may be drilled in the plate (16). To secure a post to the Mills post support, holes may drilled in the sides (12), through which bolts can be inserted.
A second common ground spike (20) is illustrated in FIGS. 3-8. The common ground spike (20) has a blade portion (21) comprising four blades (22), and a post socket portion (30). The blade portion is made by cutting two pieces of metal as shown in FIG. 4, then bending the two halves of each piece (22A & 22B or 22C & 22D) of the metal into a perpendicular arrangement along a longitudinal fold line (23 or 24). The two pieces of metal are then attached along the respective fold lines (23 & 24) by a welded connection (25).
The post socket portion (30) is made from a unitary piece of metal that is cut in the shape shown in FIG. 7. Three perpendicular bends (along lines 32) form four walls (31) to the post socket (30). Perpendicular bends (along lines 34) enable base tabs (35) to form a partially closed lower surface of the post socket (30). Clamping tabs (36) are formed in one corner of the post socket (30) by additional bends (along lines 33) in the metal. Apertures (38) for bolt connectors appear in the clamping tabs (36).
The blade portion (21) is attached to the post socket portion (30) by welding between the top of each blade (22) and the lower face of the base tabs (35).
The blade portion (21) and post socket portion (30) of the common ground spike (20) are typically made of the same metal material, often having a thickness of between 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm. Mills discloses use of steel having a thickness of one-eighth inch (3.2 mm). The cost of the metal starting material is a major component of the cost of producing a ground spike. Reducing the thickness of metal for the prior art ground spikes cause premature deformations and failures under normal to heavy wear conditions.
There exists a need for a stronger, improved ground spike design, preferably that requires less metal such that it can be manufactured for a lower cost without sacrificing product quality.